From the cover: “The young man known as Kiron, who had once been a dragon-boy called Vetch, had achieved more than he had ever dreamed possible. He had escaped the Jouster’s compound in Tia on the back of Avatre – a scarlet dragon he had raised from the egg – a tame dragon that was bonded to him As he had crossed the vast desert with the help of the nomads called the Veiled Ones, he had carried with him one of the greatest treasures of his world: the key to taming dragons. And when he reached Alta, the kingdom of his birth, his bravery had linked him with the family of a powerful nobleman, Lord Ya-tiren, who had, in turn, introduced him and his dragon-taming techniques to the compound of the Altan Jousters. He had been abel to gather a group of dedicated young people who understood the rigors involved and were up to the task of raising a dragonet from the egg. And he had ended up with more than he had ever dreamed of: eight close friends and eight beautiful, varied, spirited yet tame dragonets. Enough, when led by Kiron and Avatre, to form an entire fighting wing.
But there was also a dark side to Kiron’s life. For in gaining entrée into Altan noble society , he had come to learn many distressing things about who really controlled Alta, especially with the help of Lord Ya—tiren’s daughter Aket-ten, who had the magical Gifts of Animal Speech, Silent Speech, and the Far-Seeing Eye. Aket-ten was a Fledgling of the magical order of the Winged Ones, and this gentle order was being threatened by a more powerful and less ethical magical order – the Magi. … Could Kiron, Aket-ten, Ari, and their allies muster their forces in time to face the Magi? And how would they counter the deadly effects of the Eye of Light?
But there was also a dark side to Kiron’s life. For in gaining entrée into Altan noble society , he had come to learn many distressing things about who really controlled Alta, especially with the help of Lord Ya—tiren’s daughter Aket-ten, who had the magical Gifts of Animal Speech, Silent Speech, and the Far-Seeing Eye. Aket-ten was a Fledgling of the magical order of the Winged Ones, and this gentle order was being threatened by a more powerful and less ethical magical order – the Magi. … Could Kiron, Aket-ten, Ari, and their allies muster their forces in time to face the Magi? And how would they counter the deadly effects of the Eye of Light?